


A New Place To Call Home

by PureDiscordHell



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Every major character other than Stiles has a minor part, Melissa accidentally leaves Stiles at a park, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Stiles gets a new name, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25134532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PureDiscordHell/pseuds/PureDiscordHell
Summary: Stiles is ten years old when his mother dies. What happens next are a series of events that will shape his life forever.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 35





	1. Death of a Loving Mother

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first published Teen Wolf fic. It's not finished, but I have enough written to keep updating for a while. I hope you enjoy!

Stiles wasn’t prepared for a lot of things in life. It was expected, of course, because he was only ten. Life didn’t prepare him for his mother getting sick, his dad drinking, or his mom being sent to the hospital. 

Don’t get him wrong, he was a very smart kid. He realized something was wrong with his mother, and she was soon being treated very delicately. He would hear his dad cry at night, in the hallway of the hospital, and he would soon find himself having to take care of his dad, too. 

His mom was in the hospital for about two weeks before his dad’s drinking got worse. Apparently his mother was deteriorating a little bit quicker than was expected, so he wasn’t allowed in to see her until they could calm her down. Deputy Stilinski, at the time, wore such a firm mask of pain and worry that Stiles would think that someone was dy— oh.

He spent the day with Nurse Melissa, who agreed to take off work to take Stiles out and play with his best friend, Scott McCall. She ordered some nurses to make the deputy take a nap away from Claudia after a few hours, to which a few said they would, using force if necessary. 

That kind of made Stiles wary of the whole situation, but he took the much needed break from the icky smelling building to go run around in the park. He spent most of the time moping, but with Scott pestering him— Melissa must’ve put him up to it, because he usually sat quiet with him in the waiting room— he eventually caved and had fun for the remainder of the time by playing tag and wrestling in the grass. 

Melissa, meanwhile, was chatting with another nurse who agreed to spend her break with her, always ready to help keep an eye on kids. She was a little older than Melissa, and said she had two kids of her own, though they were in their older teens and off to college soon. The two watched the boys play with relieved smiles on their faces.

Eventually, the nurse got promoted and she couldn’t spend time watching the boys anymore. That was okay, because his dad was starting to be around more, if only for a little while. His mom was doing okay, though she was still in the hospital. It was about a month in, and she was smiling at him as soon as he walked through the door. 

Stiles brightened immediately. “Mom!” 

“Hey, sweetie,” she says, voice cracking in emotion as she watches her son fly over to her. She wraps him up in a big hug. “How are you doing?” 

“Great,” He said, beaming. He heard a nurse shuffle around in the room, always watchful, but he ignores it. “Ms. Melissa took me to the park again today, and we got ice cream after.” 

“That’s great.” His mother’s eyes turned away from him to the far wall, and Stiles backed up, wary. “Where’s my husband?” 

“He’s out on the job,” the nurse says gently, stepping closer to the mother and son. He wants to be as close as possible if the worst case scenario happened under his watch. “He should be here shortly.” 

“Good.” Claudia raked her eyes over her son, and Stiles backs away. She had yelled at him once, twice, with the sickness she had. His dad had to explain to him what it was; some form of dementia that only affected teens. Dad said her brain was sick. That much he knew. “Who is this boy?” All the warmth seeped out of her voice. 

Stiles could cry if he didn’t already come to learn to expect it. The nurse smiles at her before steering him out of the room. “Just a curious looker,” he says, before closing the door behind them. 

Stiles looks down at his feet, an ache in his heart that hasn’t been filled since before this whole thing happened. He feels a tear slip down his face and he wipes it away. The nurse hands him a tissue from his pocket pack, and Stiles accepts it. 

“Don’t worry, kid,” the man says. Kid. Everyone calls him kid. He’s beginning to hate it. “Your mom’s regressing again.” The nurse must’ve called the doctor, because she rushed into the room, followed by two other nurses. “She’ll be okay, buddy.” Stiles bites back the scowl. Scott calls him buddy, not these people. 

Stiles is left alone when the nurse in front of him is called in. He sits across the hall, not really wanting to go back to the waiting room. Besides, nobody said he had to. 

It’s like that for the next two weeks. Six weeks into the hospital and that’s all they can do to keep the family comfortable. His dad ruffles his hair absently as he listens to the voice on his phone, listening more intently than to his own son. 

“Of course. I’ll be right there,” the deputy promised. Stiles looks over at him from just outside his mother’s room. His dad hangs up and sighs. 

“What’s wrong, daddy?” Stiles asks, feeling dread line his stomach. He hates when his dad leaves for the job. Melissa and Scott had already left, and they rarely spend time with him outside of his mom’s room. 

“I’ve got to go, Stiles,” his dad says. Stiles frowns at him. “The local office needs me.” 

“But _we_ need you,” Stiles insists. His dad turns tired eyes down at him. Stiles bites his lower lip. 

“I know, kiddo.” Stiles will accept this. It’s his dad. He’d always take any nickname given to him by his dad. The deputy wraps him up in a big hug. “I’ll be back soon, okay?” 

“Okay,” he mumbled into his dad’s shoulder. They stand together for a few more moments before his dad pulls away from him. Stiles watches him go before turning back to the window, where he watches his mother doze. 

She was okay today. Not too good, but not too bad, either. She didn’t remember much about Stiles, but she said he looked familiar. She asked if he was related to the family in some way. 

At least she didn’t accuse him of killing her today. 

The memory hit his heart like a freight train, and he sniffed, quickly rubbing at his eyes. He had to be strong, for himself. For his mom, and his dad. He had to be strong for all of them. After all, his dad wasn’t here to do it. 

Stiles was in the room about an hour later. His mom was awake and smiling at him. They were talking, holding hands— but it all went downhill. Her vitals started crashing, and he briefly exchanged proclamations of ‘I love you’ before he was being surrounded by nurses and doctors. 

He didn’t know what was going on at first, until his mother started crying. She made a grabbing motion toward him, and a nurse pulled out their phone, immediately making a call. 

“Deputy Stilinski?” The nurse asks, pushing her hair out of her face. Stiles feels his heart stutter to a halt, clutching his mother’s hand to his chest. “Where is he?” The nurse demands. “Get him, immediately. It’s his wife. She’s crashing.” 

“Mommy?” Stiles asks, tears streaming down his face. 

“Shh, Stiles, it’s okay,” she whispered. In her last moments, it seemed like she was clear of everything. He was wrapped in a big hug, which he refused to leave. “You be a good boy, okay? You take care of your dad.” 

“I will, I will,” Stiles whispers, choking back on a sob. 

“Someone get this kid out of here,” he heard someone complain. The voice was quickly hushed, and there were no more words spoken that he could hear. 

“I love you, Stiles,” his mom says. 

“I love you, too.” 

It’s the last time he was able to talk to his mom. She flatlined, muscles relaxing, and Stiles sobbed harder than he’s ever done, not knowing that such a thing was possible. 


	2. A Break At Long Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second part of chapter one! I decided to give it to you guys early, as a treat.

The room went silent, hands grabbing at him to get him away, but he screamed something resembling ‘no’ or ‘go away,’ he doesn’t know. The doctor tried everything to get her back, but she was gone. 

His beautiful mother, Claudia, was gone. Free from the world that made her sick. 

Stiles was able to stay for about an hour before he was quietly removed from the room. He was dimly aware of calls to a coroner, but he can’t pay attention to that. He sits heavily back in the chair somewhere near his mom’s room, and he sits and he cries. 

He’s there for about another hour before he hears fast and heavy footsteps running toward him. His tears are falling, much like a waterfall. There’s noises around him, mutters, nurses talking to someone. There’s a bunch of commotion outside of the room, and then he feels hands on him. 

“No,” he sobbed, “leave me alone.” 

“Stiles, Hey, it’s me,” whispers a voice. It sounds familiar. 

Jerking his head up, he can just barely make out his dad’s uniform. The tears mirrored back on his dad’s face. “Dad,” he choked, before those strong arms wrapped around him. 

The next few days were hectic, and it wasn’t until the funeral that it really sank in that his mother was dead. Sure, he saw her take her last breath, but it… it felt surreal. Fake. 

Scott held his hand, and Stiles gave him a teary hug as soon as it was over. 

“It’ll be okay, Stiles,” Scott says, but Stiles knows it won’t be. Not for a while. He also knows that the other ten year old doesn’t know how to deal with this. 

“I’ll make sure to keep an eye on him,” Melissa says, talking to his dad nearby. 

“Thank you,” comes his dad’s tired reply. “I’ll have to return to work next week.” 

“Are you sure that’s the best idea?” 

“Someone’s got to pay for the bills.” 

Stiles was at Scott’s for most of the time those two weeks after as his dad got to work. Most times, though, he was home alone, and that was worse. He was stuck with the memories of the past, and that just hurt him. 

Rubbing his eyes as he heads down the stairs, he checks the giant clock on the wall. It’s just past eleven in the morning, and today was park day. Melissa would take him and Scott, usually at eleven until one on Thursdays, and then she’d drop both the boys off at her house. That was, of course, when Stiles needed watching at the hospital. He doesn’t know if she would still do it after on another day. Maybe he should go to the park? 

_Never go off by yourself,_ thrums inside his head. He knows better, of course. He hops up tp the counter and takes a hold of the landline phone and punches the number two for the McCall’s speed dial. 

Scott picks up on the second ring. Stiles is home only because he cried and threw a fit at school yesterday, his first day back, so they decided he should start on Monday. Scott is home… he doesn’t know. 

“Hi?” Scott’s voice greets from the other end. “Stiles?” 

“Hi,” he echoes back. “Why aren’t you at school?” 

“I’ve got a cold,” his friend says proudly. Then he pauses. “Well, it messes with my asthma. So I’m home.” 

“Okay.” Stiles lets them lapse into silence for a moment. “So does that mean no park today?” 

“Unfortunately,” Scott replies. Stiles imagines him bobbing his head up and down to answer his question. “I might be able to go in a few days. I’ll ask my mom when she gets home.” 

“Okay,” he repeats, before hanging up the phone with a muttered goodbye. Scott chirps a cheery one back, but he’s not quite feeling the park anymore. 

He goes upstairs and cries into his pillow. His dad comes in later and the two mostly pick at their dinner before heading off to bed. His dad is gone before he wakes up the next morning. 

On Saturday, right at noon, there’s a loud knock on the door. Stiles pauses, twisting around from watching a cartoon on the couch. He’s been trained not to open the door, and paranoia— or simply being smart— has him not make a sound until they leave. 

There’s another pound at the door. “Stiles!” It’s Scott’s cheery greeting. “We’re here to take you to the park! Mom says we might get ice cream later!” 

He must’ve been shouting, because the door was pretty thick. At least, Stiles thought so as he jumped off the couch. He pushed past the bad feelings and yanked open the door. Melissa stood in her nurse’s uniform and Scott launches himself into Stiles’ arms. 

“Hey, buddy!” Scott almost shouts, before wrapping him up in a hug. “I haven’t seen you in days. When are you coming back to school?”

“Monday.” Stiles feels a ghost of a smile whip past his face. “So we’re going?” 

“Right now,” Ms. McCall promises. “I’ve got sandwiches for you two.” 

The three of them leave, Melissa having a key to lock the door but refrained from using it to open the door so as not to scare her son’s friend. 

They spend about ten minutes in silence before they realize they passed up the regular park. 

“Where are we going?” Stiles inquires. 

“I have the next two days off,” Ms. McCall says from the wheel. “I thought I could take you to the special, fancy park, get ice cream, and then Stiles could spend the night.” 

“Awesome!” Both boys chorused. They were both up for adventure. 

The new park they were going to was 20 miles away, so it wasn’t too bad. Once they got there, there were already some ten odd families milling around. A small group of kids were playing together in the middle of the square, under the watchful eye of four parents. 

Scott and Stiles ran around, but Scott must’ve still been fighting off his cold, because he kept having to stop. A girl came over and invited them to play, and soon Melissa was roped into the group of parents. 

It was only an hour before something bad happened. Stiles doesn’t know exactly what happened— just that people started screaming. He whipped his head around and saw Scott racing toward his mom, and Melissa frantically looking around. Scott was wheezing, asthma kicking up terribly. Two dad’s ran past him, scooping up their sons and daughters. Some weren’t even related to them, but they got ushered toward the main group. 

And then they were gone. Stiles wasn’t even sure he saw them. Time passed by so quickly since his mom died. 

Confused, Stiles stepped forward, but the sound of a growl stopped him. He froze, before slowly turning around. He felt fear grip his stomach before finally locking his gaze on to what was in front of him. 

It was a woman, with twisty black hair. Her dark skin melted softly into the fabric of her short shirt, cutting off around her midriff. But her face— it was all wrong. It was ugly looking, and her eyes were a glowing red. He scrambled back but ended up falling, and he felt terror at what he was seeing. Then, it melted away, and it smoothed over to smooth skin. He blinked, confused, heart still pounding. 

“Hush, little child,” she says, sounding entirely human. Loving. He wanted to cry. “Don’t be scared. That was not for you. It was for the pack who left you behind.” 

Stiles felt himself frowning, but he didn’t move when she approached him. He’s heard the word ‘pack’ before. It was in a wolf book he read. 

“Pack?” He asks. “Like wolves?” 

The woman beamed at him. “Yes, exactly.” She looks about college age, actually, with an easy smile and a relaxed posture. She tilts her head sideways, almost as if she’s listening to his pounding heart. “Do not be afraid, little child. Not of me. I will not hurt you.” 

“Are you sure?” He asks. “You looked scary earlier.” 

The woman tilted her head the other way, then held out her hand. “I will show you how to do my ‘trick’ again, if you want. But right now, you must come with me.” 

Stiles frowned. “Why?” He looks around, and the sun is sinking. Since when did that happen? 

“It’s been a long time since your pack has been here,” the woman says. She raises an eyebrow at her awaiting hand. “Come with me. My pack will vow to protect you.” 

“Yours?” Stiles tentatively takes her hand. 

“Yes, mine.” She slowly leads him back into the middle of the trees. “My red eyes symbolizes my authority as alpha over my pack.” She squats down, facing him, once they disappear a few steps into the tree line. She blinks, and her warm chocolate eyes are replaced by glowing red orbs. 

Stiles takes a step back, scared for a moment, but then he leans forward, curious. The woman bares her sharp teeth at him, and he flinched, but it’s immediately forgotten. He watches as her face shifts in front of his eyes, quite like before. It fascinated him. 

“Does it hurt?” He whispered, awed. 

“The first couple of times,” she admits. “But I’m a born werewolf. I’ve had years to get used to it. Bitten wolves, of course, are very different. They aren’t so used to living as we do.” 

“Werewolf?” 

“Not quite a myth,” the young woman says with a wink. She stands, morphing back to just glowing red eyes. “Come. I want to show you our pack.” 

“Ours?” He echoes, as he lets himself be led further away from the new park. 

“Well of course, little child. I can’t let a lost human pup like you stay out here all by yourself.” She leads him about a mile into the woods before coming across a few logs rolled into sitting positions. She paused at the entrance to the clearing. “Everyone, come on out. I’ve got a new pack member for you.”

There wasn’t even a rustle as eight other people emerged from the bushes, most of them girls. Some were sporting fangs, the others had glowing gold eyes. One even had blue eyes. 

“Gold eyes symbolize beta status,” the alpha explains. She nodded toward a girl with blue eyes. “Blue can indicate omega. But she’s a beta as well.” 

“Then why the different colors?” Stiles asks. 

“Self defense,” the blue eyed beta says with a sniff. Stiles widened his eyes but nodded. “Why did you take in this little runt?” 

“That’s rude,” pouted a male’s voice. He stepped forward, face already morphed into the scary shift that the woman had. He looked about Stiles’ age. “I’m a runt, too.” 

“No, little pup, you’re just young,” grunted the alpha. She ushered Stiles forward to settle down on a stump, which was in front of a crackling Fire. “He will live with us. He was abandoned by his pack.” 

“That’s so sad,” murmured a girl with blond hair. 

“We will give him a name,” the alpha continues, “worthy of being in our pack.” 

“But I have a name,” Stiles protests, as he sits down. 

“Hush, now, leave the past behind you.” The alpha tilts her head back. “The wolf with the blue eyes. Her name is Cassidy. The one with the blond hair is Hannah.” 

“Hey, pup,” she greeted. Stiles waved nervously at her. 

“These are Natalia, Mia, Zima, Kinjo, Song Cai, and the little boy is Ashton,” the alpha explains. “Mostly, packs are made evenly of males and females. But we have mostly females.” 

“Girl power,” muttered Kinjo. She tossed her shiny black hair over her shoulder and Ashton giggled. “Our alpha is named Savannah. But her friends call her Savvy.” 

“Savvy,” Stiles says, nodding. Savannah ruffles Stiles’ hair. He turns to her. “Do I really have to get a new name?” 

“Fortunately,” Savvy says with a nod. She snaps her fingers together and Hannah and Mia crowd around. “We need something to reflect the boy’s personality, so the next few days are important.” 

As it turns out, the pack was only squatting there to pass through to their own territory. They had done a pack run outside of their own, to the outer limits, and they were on their way back. They now had to go slower with Stiles in tow. 

They called him all sorts of things that he hadn’t been called before that excited him. Little child, little pup, whatever else came to mind. He tried introducing himself, but Savvy and the others weren’t having it. 

As they were walking back to their parked cars— there was always at least one nearby, for the pack— Song Cai explained. 

“You receive a new name once you start in this pack. It is a way of letting the past go.” She looks at him with glowing gold eyes. “Do you have something you wish to forget?” 

“Song, he’s ten,” protested Cassidy. Song Cai waves her off. 

Stiles pauses, and it seems all of the werewolves are waiting for his response. He stops in his tracks, and they do, almost immediately. “My mom,” he says quietly. “She died recently. Brain was sick.” 

The pack murmured apologies, and Savvy even gave him a hug, which he allowed. “The past is the past now. I am your mom now. I am everyone’s mom here.” 

Stiles didn't really get it, but he didn’t question it. They continued walking for another hour in silence before Ashton decided he wanted to play. He stamped the ground with a foot and started darting around Stiles, eyes glowing and teeth sharp. Stiles just stares from his place behind Hannah. 

“Come on, puppy,” Ashton says. “Play with me! Let’s play tag!” 

“Don’t fun too far ahead,” Mia warns. She ties her hair up into a low ponytail. “The van is within sprinting distance.” 

Sprinting distance, of course, was actually another half-mile, but it was all the same to the wolves. Stiles eventually tentatively began trotting after the other boy, who grew delighted and let out a short laugh in anticipation. The two boys don’t go very far, on account of Stiles not being able to tap into wolf powers, but they managed to have fun. 

They came across the van at the edge of the woods, and Ashton and Hannah piled into it with no problems. Stiles, of course, suddenly realized what the situation meant. 

“I have to go with you forever?” He turns to look at the alpha, Savannah. Mia claims the passenger seat. 

“Well, of course, little one,” Savvy says with a frown. “What did you think joining our pack meant?” 

“Well, I….,” Stiles begins. He watches as Kinjo and Song Cai enter the van. That leaves him with Savvy, Cassidy, Zima and Natalia. Zima is watching the tree line and Natalia is gazing along the road. 

Savannah squats down to look at him eye-level as Zima and Natalia enter the van. Cassidy gives him a once over before joining her pack mates. “Look, little one. I watched you, in a daze, walk around the park for about three hours. Nobody came back to claim you.”

Stiles felt shock enter his system before he felt tears well up in his eyes. “Ms. McCall and… Scott… they left me?” 

Savvy nodded. “Listen, little child, we know what abandonment is. Our whole pack is familiar with it.” She paused. “My pack will have you, if you will have us.” 

Stiles hesitated before looking into the van. Ashton was there, looking at him eagerly. He had no other people that were his age, and Stiles remembers laughing and twisting around with the other boy as they made their way to the van. Cassidy was the one that had expressed disinterest— but she was sitting across from Hannah and Song Cai attentively. Mia was smiling at him slightly, hanging out of the passenger side window. 

He turned back to look at Savvy. She was waiting for his answer, patient as always. She was patient with him at the park, too. Taking the time to explain to him a little about her pack and herself. 

He licked his lips. It was a hard decision to make. He just couldn’t ever expect to think that the McCall’s had abandoned him, especially after everything they’ve been through together. 

He wiped his tears away. “Okay,” he whispered. “Okay. I’ll join your pack.” 

Ashton let out a loud whoop, and he heard a few soft chuckles scatter throughout the group. Savvy smiled and squeezed his hand. “ _Our_ pack,” she whispered back. “Ours.” 


	3. Meeting the Pack House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I have a consistent updating schedule? No. Anyway, enjoy chapter three!

Apparently, they had a Naming Ceremony after three days of living with the pack. Stiles could appreciate that. He kind of got the reason why they insisted on changing his name. He couldn’t very well let go of the past if his name still connected him to it, could he? 

“You’ll love your new name,” Ashton says happily from his spot beside him. Stiles is wedged between the boy and Cassidy, who doesn’t look too happy. Although, she normally didn’t in those couple of hours that he knew her, so that probably couldn’t be amended. “It’s how I got Ashton.” 

“How old are you?” Stiles asked, frowning at him. 

“Eight,” he replied proudly. 

Eight wasn’t that young to him at the time, but it soon would be. In the meantime, Stiles passed the time gazing out the window or listening to Ashton jabber on about the pack house. He said it was grand, and that their emissary was waiting there for them. 

“What is that?” Stiles scrunched up his nose at the unfamiliar term. 

“Kind of like an alpha’s second,” Cassidy explains. Stiles turns to look at her, not having expected her to answer, but rather someone else. “All alpha’s have a second. It’s usually a Wolf, because even if a pack had human members, it was rare for one to have such high authority.” 

“An emissary is usually a Druid,” Mia says, from way up in the front. She twists in her seat as Savvy drives down a winding road. They must’ve been in the car for at least two hours now. “Druids are magic users.” 

“Magic is real?” Stiles breathes out. His day just keeps getting better and better. 

“You better believe it, little pup,” Hannah says. She grins at him when he twists around to face her. “There are a lot of secrets about the wolf pack society.” 

“When can I learn about it?”

“Soon.” 

Stiles was put to the test soon after, because as soon as the sun went down, he started getting restless. His leg jumbled up and down like it was attached to a string. 

Cassidy frowned. “Think this kid’s got ADD or something.” 

“ADHD, actually,” Stiles replied proudly. “I don’t have my medication with me. It usually wears off at night.” 

“Wonderful,” Cassidy muttered. 

The van pulls over at a gas station soon after that, and Mia announces that everyone get out or ‘forever hold their pee,’ which made people roll their eyes or pull faces. 

Ashton grabbed Stiles’ hand and pulled him toward the restrooms, Hannah following closely behind. The bell dings overhead as all ten of them push inside the little store. 

“Whoa,” the cashier comments as he sees the large group enter. 

“Family reunion,” Mia says cheerfully. She and Savvy pull up to the counter. “And we’re traveling with two kids under twelve.” 

The cashier whistles. “Good luck.” 

That’s all Stiles hears as Ashton pushes him into the bathroom. Hannah inhales before nodding toward the bathroom. 

“I’ll be right outside,” she says, keeping her voice low. “Whisper if you need anything.” 

“Right on,” the boy nods, before yanking Stiles into the bathroom. As soon as their done, the whole pack cycles in and out of bathrooms, in twos or threes, as the wait for the gas to fill. Kinjo grabs at least three bags of chips and Savvy rolls her eyes at her. 

“Don’t be rude,” Kinjo sniffs. She places the bags on the counter. 

Eventually, they all pile in the car again, only Kinjo is on his left and Savannah is on his right. Hannah took over the driving, with Song Cai in the passenger seat. 

“Wake me up when it’s my turn,” Cassidy muttered from the backseat, where she’s stretched across Mia’s lap, who’s already asleep. 

Stiles frowns and turns to Savvy. “How long until we get to the pack house?” 

“About another day of driving,” the alpha admitted. Stiles felt his eyes widen. Savannah ruffles his hair. “We’re quite out of our territory. There’s another pack nearby, or was. They should be doing a run through of their territory.” 

“Then why were you here?” Stiles asks, confused. “You told me—”

“Not all of the land belongs to one pack,” Savvy explains. “You’ll learn everything eventually.” She turns and surveys the wolves in front of her, some asleep or others gazing tiredly out the window. “The full moon is in two weeks. I’ll explain everything to you until then.” 

When they rolled up to another gas station at what must’ve been five the next morning, nobody was playing around. They dig into the chips and make short bathroom breaks before switching out the drivers. Now it’s Cassidy and Natalia, and he’s wedged between Ashton and Mia. She smiled at him before bickering with Hannah who was a row behind her. It’s resolved within ten seconds, and the both of them are asleep. 

Stiles sighs and turns over. Ashton is wedged up against the window, not quite having his face mashed into it, but getting pretty close. Shrugging to himself, he closes his eyes. 

He’s shook awake an odd hour later. Apparently, they’re getting breakfast at a popular diner. He yawns and rubs at his eyes before tumbling out of the van. Savvy catches him. 

“Careful, little one,” she says, hoisting him up to his feet. “Wouldn’t want to bust up that face of yours, now would we?” 

“Where are we?” He asks.

“Arizona.” Stiles blinks at her in shock. She laughs and pushes him gently forward. Ashton stumbles beside him, Mia leading the way. “We’ve only been driving for about nine hours. We still have a long way to go.” 

Stiles couldn’t help the groan to escape his lips. Savvy and Mia laughed at him. It was almost as if he were always with them, at least for a moment. 

They entered the restaurant, Ashton making sure Stiles was seated right next to him. They spent the next hour talking and laughing, Stiles included. 

“I remember one time,” Hannah says, laughing, “when Ashy was younger, he couldn’t get used to the whole transformation thing, so he just painted the eyes on his eyelids and used it from a tutorial.”

“Hey!” Ashton pouted, throwing a fry in her direction. “Don’t tell him that.” 

Stiles grinned at him. “You painted your little wolfy ears on, too?”

“No!” He insists. Kinjo glares at him. “Maybe.”

When they went back to the van, Stiles got a whole row to himself, to which he stretched across. Ashton stuck his tongue out at him from the from row, to which Stiles reciprocated. 

The next two days were spent much the same, with all of them getting much closer than ever before. The state lines flew by, and before he knew it, they were taking more and more breaks. After that, they entered Kansas, and they started whooping and hollering. 

“What’s going on?” Stiles asked. 

Apparently, their base was in the smack middle of Wichita, a large-ish type of farm house that could house up to fifteen people, ergo the fifteen passenger van that they were traveling in. 

The road they turned on turned into a lane, and pretty soon, miles of land stretched before his eyes. The van rolled up in front of the biggest building he’s ever seen in his life. It was a huge, two story building that looked like a barn, but was colored a pale blue that looked more of a rusted brown. 

“Welcome home,” Natalia said warmly. Those were the only words she had spoken this whole trip. 

The doors to the van opened, and the pack tumbled out, howling without a care in the world, racing themselves in the ten feet to the door. The only ones who didn’t were Savvy and Stiles. 

“We spoke to our Druid,” Savvy says, looking up at the house, just like Stiles is doing. “He will make sure you’re in good health. And he will oversee your medication.” 

“Cool.” Stiles was still awestruck by the house. It was massive, quite like a castle. The door pulled open, and Savvy pushed him forward toward it, not moving from her place behind his shoulder. 

He walked up the steps to the porch, entering the door and blinking in surprise as it shut. There was a man behind it, kind of tall, who looked a whole lot like someone not to be messed with. 

The Druid, for it must be him, motioned for Stiles to follow as they went into the adjoining living room. Lots of comfortable couches spotted the room, as well as a flat screen and a table. The pack crowded around the chair that he was ushered into, whispering in hushed tones. 

“Where did you find this boy?” The Druid asked, studying him with an intensity that he’s never seen before. Nervous once again, he shifts his weight in the chair. 

“I told you.” Savvy wasn’t having to repeat herself one bit. 

“Hmm.” The Druid nodded once, before settling down on the coffee table. “You will pick a name for him once I tell you the answer to your question.” 

“Correct.” The reply was short and blunt. 

“What question?” Stiles inquires quietly. 

“You’ll know soon enough.” The Druid set to work, asking to see his palm or for him to close his eyes and take a deep breath. After what felt like years, the Druid told him to open his eyes. “He’s clean.” 

“Will he take to it?” Savvy demands. Stiles hasn’t heard that tone from her before. He gives her a nervous look. 

“Yes.” The Druid stands up. He extends his arm, and Stiles shakes his hand. “Pleased to meet you. You may call me Darius.” 

“Is that your name?” Stiles asked. 

The Druid raised an eyebrow as a few girls giggled behind him. “It is. And soon, you shall have a name to go by, little boy.” He addresses the alpha now. “Once he has it, I’ll address the situation of the medication right away.” 

“Good.” Savvy motioned to Hannah and Mia. “You two will help me find a name. Cassy, please escort him to his new room.” 

Cassidy stood up and motioned for Stiles to join her. He followed behind her, back toward the front door and past the foyer, into the kitchen, and up the stairs. A lot of doors were opened, and the rooms looked huge. 

“You’ll be roomed next to Ashton,” Cassidy explained. She walked around a bend in the hall and nodded at the only closed door. “You’ll got items from the pack to help add flavor to your room.” 

Stiles was really glad she was starting to warm up to him, otherwise he might’ve had to avoid her this whole time. 

“Well, go on,” she said, rolling her eyes. They had a blue edge to them that probably wasn’t normal. 

Stiles reached forward and twisted the door handle, which opened easily and without a noise— at least, to his ears. What he’s grown to understand is that the wolves had spectacular hearing.

The room had a king sized bed with a walk-in closet, wall painted a soft gray that didn’t actually look disgusting. He gaped at it as he walked in, never seeing something so big in his life. There was a dresser and another door that led to a bathroom. 

“Bathrooms are at the end of the hall, but don’t be surprised if a pack mate comes barging in here to use yours,” Cassidy says, sounding bored. Stiles turns to look at her with wide eyes, still awed. “I can’t remember the last time I had a bathroom to myself,” she muttered. 

“I think it’s perfect,” he says happily. 

Cassidy startles, then raises an eyebrow. “Savvy says thanks. She and Darius picked it out themselves.” She nodded toward his bed. “We’ll get you more clothes. You’ll have privacy for all of two days before someone makes claim to your room.” 

With that, he’s left alone, with free range of the house. He explores every nook and cranny of it, Ashton bopping along after him like a pool noodle. Stiles gets sad sometimes, missing his dad, but for the most part, he’s okay. 

Ashton alerts him once he starts to make his way upstairs again. “They’ve settled on a name! Come on.” He grabs Stiles’ hand and practically flies down the stairs. 

Once again seated in that same chair, he finds ten pairs of eyes on himself. Zima, another person who didn’t talk, smiled at him. 

“There’s no reason to be afraid. Everyone gets a new name here. It’s a way to forget that we didn’t belong to where we were.” 

Stiles takes her words to heart, and he settles down. Savvy Studies him intensely for a moment. “Little child, we have finally come up with a name for you. The past is left behind, and will be forever.” He nods at her. “Now, before we continue, you must know something.” 

“Okay.” Whatever it is, it can’t be too bad. 

“There is a process that has to be done. It is a very delicate one, that only Savannah can perform.” Darius looks at him with those intense brown eyes. “It is even more dangerous to perform them on a human.” 

Stiles hesitated, then nodded. The pack has been good to him so far. “Will it hurt?” 

“A little.” Savvy blinks at him. “Will you agree to it?” 

“Of course.” Stiles sees everyone relax, and he smiles shyly before licking his lips. 

Savvy drew herself up. “From here on out, you are named Nathan Roman Pearce. You will be placed as high as any beta in this pack, and should you so choose, you are fitted to receive the Bite as soon as you turn twelve years of age.” 

“Two years are required, mostly.” Darius stands up. “That is only if you do not choose to pursue it right away.” 

“The Bite?” Stiles asks. 

“Not all of us are born werewolves, remember.” Darius taps his nose. “I am not a wolf.” He nods in Savannah’s direction. “The alpha’s Bite can turn a human.”

Savvy stood up. “It’s time.” She positioned herself behind Stiles. “Relax,” she ordered. “This will hurt. But trust me, you will feel better.” 

And since he has known nothing but kindness, he forced his muscles to relax. He closed his eyes and exhaled in preparation. Nothing could’ve prepared him for the pain in his neck that followed, but after that, everything faded to black, so he didn’t really remember what it felt like. 


	4. The Start of a New Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this one. Remember, Stiles has a new name now!

**_{Two months later}_ **

There wasn’t much Nathan could remember before he came to live with Savvy and her pack, but he definitely remembers being abandoned. It’s the same as everyone else, really. Cassy— what he affectionately calls Cassidy, who pretends to be upset about— was kicked out for being gay. Hannah was kicked out for being trans, and the others were much of the same. Ashton wasn’t wanted, Nathan was abandoned in a park somewhere… it was terrible, but they lived it. 

The pack was homeschooled until they hit twelve, which was the universal year of middle school. Nathan was currently trying to figure out how to ditch his math lesson, but Darius was a Druid and the smartest man alive. 

“But I don’t _want_ to learn math,” he whined. 

Darius rubbed his temples. “Ten Years of Magic could never prepare me for little children.” 

Ashton popped his head up from where he was doing his own math homework. “You love us, Dari! Don’t lie!” 

Nathan grinned at the poor Druid who had to deal with the two of them. Kinjo was busy today, so she couldn’t babysit them. Savvy was finishing up college, Song Cai was doing something, and the others were napping. The man couldn’t get much peace today. 

“Can we take a break?” Ashton suggests. 

“You know the rules,” Darius rumbled. He flipped a page in his magic book— or whatever— and continued reading. 

The rules were simple. Don’t waste time. They were simple, but Nathan could really understand why Ashton didn’t want to continue working. It was a three straight hour work day, twice a day. It was less time than normal school, but Ashton likes complaining all the same. As if he had normal school experience. 

Nathan spent the next thirty minutes boring holes into the same question. He had to focus. If he didn’t focus, then he couldn’t finish the question. If he didn’t finish the question, he wouldn’t be closer to finishing. If he wasn’t finishing up, then he’d be stuck here forever. If he was stuck here f—

“Hey!” Darius thundered. Nathan jerked his head up. “Did you take your medication today?” 

“Every day,” Nathan replies. Darius squinted at him. He scratched the back of his neck. “I think I did.” 

One of the things he’s learned, living with werewolves, is that it’s impossible to lie to them. They can listen in on heartbeats like it’s their job— and they’re good at it. Another thing is he can’t even lie to the Druid— he’s all knowing, like some omnipotent force that shouldn’t be reckoned with. 

Ashton laughed at him, and Nathan decided throwing his pencil would be good justification for defending his honor. It was too bad that said boy caught it and flashed him a toothy grin. 

After they were finally done, Ashton demanded that they go outside and play. “Come on, Nate, lets go!” 

“Fine,” he replied, pushing up from the table, “but you have to wait twenty seconds to run after me.”

“Fine.” Ashton watched Nathan shoot out the front door. “One. Twenty.” With all the patience of a goldfish, he sprang out the door after him, barely giving the older boy much time. 

Nathan, of course, expected this. It was the same every day for the past month. He laughed, tearing past Hannah, who was just finished sweeping the porch. She must’ve walked past after her nap. 

“Crazy kids!” She yelled after them, but it was all in good humor. 

Nathan could hear the pounding footsteps behind him hit the porch, and he launched himself over to the right, past the fallen logs and through the tree line. 

He loved running through these trees. He has yet to be on a pack run— on account of being human and all— but he didn’t have to be a wolf to enjoy the wind in his face, in his hair. He wasn’t even concerned with the fact that he wasn’t wearing shoes or socks. He’d traveled through every inch of these woods at some point or another, and he knows exactly where all the stinging nettles are or where the ant piles hid. 

Ashton let him have a lead anyway, giggling behind him. It gave him away, and if this were a serious situation, they’d both be dead. But it wasn’t, and so they laughed at each other. Nathan’s seen the training that Savvy and the older pack members do. It’s brutal. They always heal, but even he can hear the bones crack. 

He’s allowed to watch it, but he can’t join it. Ashton spars with Natalia when she’s free, and Darius trains with Nathan— all to keep them in shape. But the human training is nowhere near the wolf training. 

Ashton grabs hold of his arm, yanking him back. Fortunately, the little wolf isn’t using his strength, so his arm doesn’t feel like it’s going to be ripped out of its socket as he was jarred to a stop. 

“Got you,” Ashton said with a wheeze. It’s not that he was out of breath from running, but from laughing. Nathan was winded from both. 

“Good run?” Nathan wheezed out, doubling over to place his hands on his knees. They must’ve run for a half mile at the least. It was a long time to be flat out sprinting. 

“I think so.” Ashton watched as his pack mate fell to the ground and rolled onto his back. “Wanna go again?” 

“Absolutely not,” Nathan groans. “I’m still new to this running thing.” 

Sure enough, an hour later at dinner, he was limping around the house to get to his chair. Kinjo and Cassidy raise an eyebrow at him. 

“What’d he do to you?” Savvy asked with an amused smirk, side-eying the youngest member. Ashton looked at her innocently. 

“Laugh at me all you want,” Nathan grouches. 

Darius looked amused as well. “We’ll add track to the list of activities that you’ll need in the future.”

“Wonderful.” The sarcastic reply was met with a smack to the head, given by Mia, but she’s laughing. 


	5. Serious Talks and Surprise Birthday Parties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for missing the update last week, but I got busy and then I lost motivation for posting. Regardless, I hope you're enjoying this as much as I had writing it.

_**{Three months later}** _

Nathan was busy watching television in the living room when the front door popped open with a loud bang. Bellowing came soon after. 

“Little pups! Help with the damn groceries!” Cass ripped off her filter the more she was closer to anyone. 

Ashton flew down from his room, Nathan following more slowly. 

“Language!” Song Cai chastised, entering from the kitchen. “There’s children here.” 

“I don’t give a damn,” Cassidy huffs, holding two heavy bags of water. “They’re helping me regardless.” 

Nathan pokes his head out from the front door, rolling his eyes at the amount of groceries bought. It had to amount to three hundred dollars or more— the drawbacks of feeding a pack of eleven, nine of which were wolves. Speaking of…

As Nathan grabbed a bag of raw meat— scratch that, three bags— from the back of the van, he thought about what Savvy said, all those months ago. It was after his Naming Ceremony, and what that first month was spent learning about. Pack and it’s dynamics. And whether he’d want the bite, so he should choose to take it. 

He still had until he was twelve, of course, but a ten year old had a lot of stuff to worry about. There was a pack nearby, close enough that the territories were in danger of overlap. War could spark, and they’d need all the help they could get. 

Although, granted, an eight year old and a ten year old couldn’t join, but they’d have a lower risk of bleeding out from a single scratch. 

He put the groceries on the counter, Kinjo and Natalia having appeared from who knows where to help. Natalia takes the bags from him. 

“What’re you thinking about, Nathan?” She asks, depositing said meat on the counter. 

He frowned. “War.” Natalia raises an eyebrow, but Kinjo just shakes her head. It’s a well-known fact that Nathan thinks extensively about everything, and it was best to ask questions when he was finished. 

Later that night, he wandered straight past the stairs and into Savvy’s room. She was busy reading a book, propped up on Mia’s stomach. Sometimes the pack would chill together as a big group, like for movie night or just chilling after a tiring day, but on grocery day, or a regular day, they could be often found in solitude or in pairs. 

“What’s up, little man?” Mia asked, not looking up from playing with Savvy’s hair. Savvy, meanwhile, dropped her book off to the side. 

"You said I could get the Bite if I wanted it on my eleventh birthday.” He decided to get straight to the point. Savannah jerked upright, and Mia seemed to go still. 

The alpha looked at him, and her second patted the bed. Nathan made his way over to them and settled between them.

“It’s only been three months,” Savvy murmurs quietly. He feels her fingers drift up to card through his hair. Mia shifts so that he’s mostly laying on her. “Are you sure you’re just not rushing this?” 

“I’ve been thinking about it,” he admitted. He sighed, frowning. “I know I’m only ten. But I keep worrying about the other pack that’s—”

“Oh, puppy,” Mia sighs. 

“Don’t worry about other packs,” Savvy continues. “Let us worry about them.”

“But if I don’t, then isn’t that worse?” He pulled back, giving the two of them hard looks. Savvy has her eyebrows slightly raised in a way of expectancy. Mia has her head tilted slightly to the left, in a way that means she’s listening. “I haven’t been thinking about it like that, either. I think about it when I’m running in the woods away from Ashy. I like how the earth feels beneath my feet.” He inhales. “The way the wind feels.” 

“You don’t need to be a wolf to feel that,” Mia says gently. 

“I know,” he said with a nod. The two blink at him. It seems they are testing him in a way. Maybe to make him prove it? He sighed again, frowning deeper before forcing his muscles to relax. “I can feel the pack bond you have with me. I think. It’s strong, but I want it to be stronger.” He thought for a moment. “I know you’ll give me the Bite in an emergency.” 

“Immediately.” Savvy watched him closely. “You will take to it, Darius has made sure. That certainly won’t change.” 

“We’re keeping our eyes on the emergency,” Mia continues. “You needn’t worry, Nate.” 

“That’s the thing.” The two tilt their heads. “I’m not sure one hundred percent if I want it, at least not yet.” 

“There’s no rush,” Savvy says gently. She reaches for his hands and he lets her, accepting the group hug that follows. “We’ll protect you, wolf or not.” 

“You’re pack, no matter what,” Mia murmurs. “Nothing could ever change that.” 

“Thank you,” he mumbled into someone’s shoulder. They smelled like lilacs and apples. Like home. 

“You’re welcome, little one.” 

Two weeks after that, Nathan was waltzing into Ashton’s room unannounced. It was like that for the longest time now. For the first week, Darius knocked, but after that, everyone didn’t bother. Nathan didn’t mind so much. Nobody did. Nothing was private with the werewolves, and likewise, Nathan had a way to wiggle in. 

“Happy birthday, little man!” Nathan affectionately greeted Ashton, who was in bed reading a comic. “How’s it feel to be nine?” 

Ashton looked up from his book. “I feel maturer.” 

Nathan plopped on the bed next to him. “Been spending a lot of time with Natalia, I see.” 

“Not that you can prove it,” he retorted. Nathan pushed him and they laughed, but it quickly simmered down. “So what’s up? I get two hours to myself today.” 

“Mm, yeah,” Nathan agreed. “Come with me.” When Ashton gave him a dubious look, the older boy rolled his eyes. “What, you don’t trust your brother?” It wasn’t a new term. The pack didn’t use that term loosely— it was something earned. Nathan was proud to say he earned it, even if he wasn’t necessarily a wolf. It wasn’t like that at all. Loyalty came in all shapes and sizes. Everyone had to earn it, and he had the trust of everyone there. 

“Well, yes,” Ashton eventually said. “Fine. But you owe me,” he warned. 

“Naturally.” Nathan grabbed his hand and guided him down the stairs. 

One of the things that he thought was really cool about his pack was that one of the first things that was learned was to hide their scent. Ashton wouldn’t be unconsciously searching for their heartbeats, but he would have his nose. It was apparently the hardest thing to do, and even the little wolf had struggled to do it. He wasn’t quite there yet, but he’s only got room to improve. 

Right now, the secret that Nathan has been keeping for the past two weeks felt like it was going to burst out of his chest and choke him. Luckily, he took his medication as soon as he woke up this morning, and it already kicked in. The last thing the pack needed was to have him blab the secret to everyone— everyone being the boy he was leading downstairs. 

The stairs quickly lead to the main floor, and he tugged Ashton harder behind him. The boy grouched at him, telling him that it better be worth it. Nathan knew it would be, but he didn’t answer. 

He guided his little brother through to the back door, sliding it open and pulling him through. In the backyard, there was a huge table set up with a large strawberry cake, with a candle stuck in the middle of it. Presents were wrapped next to it, and the pack jumped out from the sides of the house. Nathan let go and spun around, backing up with a huge grin on his face. He bumped into Darius’ chest and opened his mouth. 

Darius has a number of spells to hide his scent from wolves, so it naturally wasn’t a problem for the Druid. Said Man was becoming one of his favorite people— one of ten, anyway. 

“Surprise!” They all yelled. 

Ashton gaped at them. “How did…. I didn’t…. I thought you all left…”

Laughter broke out as Cassidy and Song Cai rushes forward to give him hugs and a ruffle of the hair before he was pulled into a group hug. 

“You used that scent trick!” He accused. 

“Hell Yeah we did,” Mia chuckled. 

“Come on, birthday boy,” Hannah called. 

The cake was delicious, and the presents he got were priceless. Nathan got him a fresh set of comic books, Hannah and Mia got him socks, to which he rolled his eyes and opened his real present— a new movie he wanted— and Savvy got him a promise to personally teach him to use the ‘scent trick.’ 

Overall, the day was great, with wrestling and hollering and all sorts of foolishness. Nathan even challenged Cassidy to a duel. 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Bring it on, little boy.” 

Nathan charged at her, and she toyed with him before ending it, but she didn’t hurt him. He’s learned a lot about her, and to be honest, he was close with all of them. The pack had gone to see a movie last week, and Mia and Natalia were squabbling to see who he sat next to. He ended up sitting in the middle. 

Being loved like that made his heart full, and it solidified his want of a deeper bond with his pack.


End file.
